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Watch Damon Albarn serenade the elephant that inspired his single "Mr. Tembo"

31 August 2015, 16:15 | Written by Laurence Day

Damon Albarn's been caught serenading Tembo, the elephant that inspired his track of a similar name on last year's solo record Everyday Robots.

When we spoke to Albarn about the LP, we discussed the track:

"'Mr. Tembo' is likely the record’s most divisive song, and certainly the one that sticks out most on Everyday Robots. By far and away the most up tempo number, it tells the story of meeting an elephant in Tanzania whose keepers had named him ‘Mr. Tembo’ (‘Mr. Elephant’). Reportedly a fan of gospel music, the elephant not only got a song named after him, but that’s The Leytonstone City Mission Choir singing on it, who are based in the church near Damon’s boyhood home. It’s one of many references on the record to the joys of nature, Albarn’s relationship to it, and where it butts heads with modern day technology."

Albarn's solo record Everyday Robots, which features "Mr. Tembo", is out now.

Watch the clip.

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